Resistance
by RavenclawCookie
Summary: Claire Standish and John Bender are hopelessly in love - they have finally declared their love to the school and there is only one thing that stands in the way of Claire's happiness: her former rich friends. Will they manage to tear Claire and Bender apart or will Claire be able to resist with the help of her friends?
1. Defence

**_Hey guys!_**

**_So I decided to write a Bender/Claire fanfic to try and differ from my usual Andy/Allison fics and I also got a request for a Bender and Claire story on one of my Breakfast Club fics, so I hope you enjoy!_**

**_As always, I do not own any of the characters in the Breakfast Club. They belong to John only character I own in this story is Sherry.  
_**

**_Please read, review and enjoy!_**

**_Love,_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**

* * *

The five of them sat down at the table at lunchtime - the Brain, the Athlete, the Basketcase, the Princess and the Criminal. They laughed, they talked and they smiled, completely ignoring the labels given to them by society. They were bigger than that, you see - they were _better. _They were the Breakfast Club. It was a name they had given themselves on that fateful Saturday, when they had started out as strangers with nothing in common. But as the day progressed, they had bared their souls to each other, and discovered each others deepest, darkest secrets. They thought that the outside world would only perceive them as their stereotypes and not the group they had become. But they were wrong. Against all odds, they had come together, broken the rules pressed upon them by their peers and had been reunited. They had become a true team against incredible odds and no one could rip them apart from each other. Not now, not ever. They thought they would have been the Breakfast Club only to each other.

Or so they thought.

* * *

Claire Standish nibbled at the pot of rice her mother had packed neatly into her bag, making sure not to smudge her lipstick in the process. She always wanted to look presentable, always. Her fingers were tangled round the thin pair of chopsticks she held, which snatched up the rice incredibly quickly. With her free hand, she brushed back her luscious, cropped crimson locks from her face and as she brought her hand down, she felt someone's close around it. Their palm was soft, warm and unusually glove-less. She smirked, her full lips twisting into an irresistible smile. _Bender, _she thought, turning her head to look into his eyes.

John Bender was eying his girlfriend smugly, gnawing mischievously on his bottom lip. His mahogany eyes were fixed upon her in an intense gaze that would have made any girl's legs turn to jelly. His chocolate locks hung beside his eyes, framing his bad-boy features perfectly. Claire found it extremely hard to look away. She heard the distant laughter of Brian, Andrew and Allison across the table from her. Nothing else seemed important when she was around Bender. Everything seemed pointless and vague, as if a thick haze had settled around everything but him, blocking them out.

"Yo, sweets.' He said, his tone casual, calm and completely delicious.

"Can't you see I'm trying to eat here, John?" Claire replied, fighting to keep the smile out of her voice.

"Be my guest." He said, waving a hand across the free space around him.

Claire giggled softly, plucking a clump of rice from the pot and allowing her chopsticks to hover in front of Bender's thin lips. "Want some?" She asked, her voice gentle.

"Sure," Bender whispered, an eyebrow raised. "Just make sure it ain't got any of that raw fish your always eating in it, okay?"

Claire rolled her auburn eyes, shaking her head so that her scarlet bob swayed slightly. "Don't be silly, it's only rice." She said, popping it into his mouth.

Bender clenched his teeth around the chopsticks, locking down upon them before she could remove them. He grinned, his teeth bared. Claire tugged on the chopsticks playfully. "Do you mind?" She asked, her eyebrows raised. "I need to eat." She gave the chopsticks a final tug before Bender relinquished his grip, guffawing loudly and slurping on his can of coke. Andy and Brian's voices came back into focus, although Claire was still bent over her food, her elbow resting on the cable. She couldn't seem to wipe the smirk from her face.

"Oh yeah, you wanna wrestle some time?" Andy said, his voice coloured with a fake macho cockiness.

"Try me." Brian said humorously, holding up his fists. Allison let out a grunt of laughter at this. Andy broke into peals of manic laughter.

"Hey," Bender's voice was suddenly in Claire's ear once again. A crimson hue crept up her pale cheeks, almost reaching her ears, thankfully hidden behind her already scarlet hair. "We still up for the movies tonight?"

Claire kept her gaze averted from his own, deciding to tease him rather than fall into his arms. Still, she could not wipe that smirk she always wore around him, from her face. "I don't know…maybe." She said, digging her chopsticks into the mountain of rice once more.

She could feel Bender's hot breath on her cheek, dancing down to the base of her neck. She could feel his lip curl into a smile rather than see it. "Fine. Well when you reach a final decision, please, let me know." He said, taking another swig from his can and shifting away from her in his seat.

Claire bit her lip, her pearly-white tooth sinking into the pink glittering flesh. Her eyes drifted to Allison, who was busy sketching something in incredible detail. It was a man, standing with his arms folded, his eyes looking away from the direction of the viewer - he bore a jacket with the worlds 'Shermer High' printed across the arms and his light hair was parted neatly to the side. One leg (clad in skinny jeans) was crossed casually over the other, as if he were leaning against a wall. His face was wreathed in a smirk. Allison leaned back in her chair, admiring her work. Claire wondered how long she had been working on that latest piece of artwork. However long, it didn't matter. It was incredible.

"Hey, Allison. That's great." Claire said, nodding towards the drawing.

Allison's head snapped up from her sketch, her eyes falling upon Claire's. "Thanks." She whispered. It was a simple reply, but Claire could hear the grateful tone in her voice.

Claire took an absent-minded bite of her rice just as Bender edged forward, squinting at the drawing. After a moment, his expression cleared, the creases of uncertainty at the corner of his eyes smoothing out and being replaced with a smile. "Hey, Allison, is that meant to be Andy?"

At the sound of his name, Andrew whirled round in his seat, breaking conversation with Brian, who had also turned to look at Allison. "What's going on?" Andy asked, his expression bright, clueless.

Allison looked down at the table, trying her best to shift the drawing across the table and hide it from Andy's view. But she was too slow. Bender snatched up the drawing and held it in front of Andy's face, shooting a wink in Allison's direction. Allison retaliated with a dark glare. Claire surveyed the scene, catching Brian's eye and grinning as Andy gazed at the drawing. His blue eyes widened as he absorbed every detail, every shadow, every line the pencil had traced. It was perfect.

Allison tried to grab the drawing, her hands clawing at the page and trying to rip it from Bender's grip but Bender held it out of her reach. Eventually, she gave up and sunk back in her seat, pouting moodily at Bender's success.

"Oh my God." Andy finally murmured. "You drew this, for me?" He finished, turning to look at the girl he loved.

Allison whipped the drawing out of Bender's hand at last. She began stuffing it in her bag but Andy's hand closed over hers, stopping her in her tracks. Her eyes met his, the deep brown gazing into the sky blue. "Yes." She whispered at last.

Andy's lips closed around Allison's. Her eyes widened, darting around her in fear of everybody watching, but eventually, she gave in to the sweet feeling of Andy's kiss and ran her hand through his hair.

Bender fell into a heap of laughter, throwing an arm around Claire's shoulder just as the bell sounded through the cafeteria.

_Time for lessons, _Claire thought sourly, not wanting to remove herself from the comforting warmth of Bender's grip. Slowly, she unfurled his arm from around her shoulders and leaned up, her boots squeaking beneath her feet. She planted a soft kiss on his lips, her palm resting against his cheek. Finally, she broke away and walked off, allowing her hand to fall from his. She glanced over her shoulder, one last time to see Allison and Andy still engaged in a kiss. She rolled her eyes before making her way to class.

* * *

Claire sat down at her usual seat in the classroom, avoiding the cold, harsh glares of her former friends. She could feel their eyes on the back of her neck as she dropped her bag beside her chair. Before they had discovered the truth about her and the school's resident rebel bad-boy John Bender, they would pass each other notes in the middle of class, share lip gloss, swap items of jewellery, giggle under their breath about their latest crush on the school wrestling team and laugh without a care in the world. They didn't even mind if they got caught. It just meant more time to talk in detention.

That was all before that fateful Saturday, when Claire had first met Bender, Brian, Andy and Allison. Now, her friends had noticed the 'new' people she had begun to hang around with. They disapproved of her relationship with the weed-smoking, trouble-making criminal especially. They didn't like her befriending geeks and weirdos either. They gave her snide, spiteful looks on the corridors, dared to give her the finger when Bender's gaze was directed elsewhere and whispered behind their hands when they thought she wasn't looking.

But Claire knew what was going on.

They passionately despised the fact that she was mixing with a crowd that weren't as affluent as they were. That was perfectly clear.

The teacher got to work writing notes upon the board and Claire sat, alone and feeling extremely vulnerable (as if one touch to her skin would cause her to shatter) scribbling down the words on the board into her notebook. It was nothing more than an untidy, undecipherable scrawl however. Her hand was shaking. She knew she would get more hassle from her former friends this lesson, but she wouldn't dare tell Bender. He'd be furious if he found out, and she knew it.

"Hey, Standish." She heard a hiss from behind and felt her heart jolt in her chest. She turned slowly in her seat, her chin digging into her shoulder as her eyes met the blonde bombshell who had uttered her name.

_Sherry, _she thought, sighing internally. _God no. _"What?" She mouthed, her eyes narrowed into slits, only a strip of brown visible through the lids.

"Eat _shit_." Sherry mouthed in reply, her scarlet lips curled at the corners. Her perfectly-manicured nails glimmered in the florescent lights above and her emerald eyes sparkled with malevolence.

Claire felt her cheeks burn, her hands curling into fists of fury. She felt an overwhelming urge to launch herself over the desks and rip Sherry's pretty hair out, but she forced the feelings rising in her chest down.

"Miss Standish?" The teacher's voice came from behind. Claire whirled round, her heart racing. "Does their seem to be a problem?" The teacher's hand was resting expectantly on her hip, her eyebrows raised.

"No, Miss. Nothing." Claire replied, trying to sound defiant. But her voice was shaking.

The teacher crept closer to Claire's desk, her hands resting upon the smooth wood of the table. "Claire, what's the matter? You aren't yourself are you?" Her voice was lowered, so that only Claire could hear her. She could feel Sherry's cruel gaze striving to get a glimpse at her, her minions sniggering beside her, their ring encrusted hands in front of their mouths, stifling their laughter.

"I'm fine, Miss." Claire said, avoiding her teacher's gaze.

"Are those girls giving you any trouble?" The teacher asked, jerking her chin towards the clump of girls behind Claire, each wearing the same innocent expression as the teacher's eyes passed over her.

"No, Miss." Claire replied more sharply and quickly than she had originally intended. "No trouble whatsoever."

"Well if they do, please, let me know." The teacher narrowed her eyes for a brief moment, before returning to her usual stance and straightening up, turning on her heel and resuming her list of notes upon the blackboard.

Claire dared herself to cast a quick glance over her shoulder at the girls whom she had previously shared endless joyful memories with. The lost laughter echoed in her ears just as Sherry raised her manicured middle finger to Claire when the teacher wasn't looking. Claire said or did nothing in retaliation, just turned back round and continued her work.

* * *

"Claire, what's up, babe?" Bender said, catching up with her just as she bustled swiftly from the classroom, wanting to be as far away from Sherry and her gang as possible. She clutched the pile of books to her chest, cradling them for strength. She couldn't tell Bender about the grief they'd been giving her. She just couldn't.

"Nothing, John, I'm fine." Claire muttered, avoiding his intense gaze.

"Oh, really? Claire, I may not be Brian but I'm not stupid." He said, crossing his arms and stepping cleverly in front of her, barring her path.

"Look," Claire heaved a sigh, her heart racing in the chest; she wondered if she could muster up the courage to say this. "John, I don't think I can make our date tonight."

Some of the usual buoyant light that filled John Bender's eyes flickered and died at her words. "What?" He snapped, his tone suddenly icy.

It was a mistake and she knew it, but Claire could do nothing more now; the words had already escaped her lips. "I'm sorry." She side-stepped him, shuffling round him and picking up speed, striding away from him, tears stinging her eyes.

"What's the real deal here?" Bender called to her over a gaggle of kids. But she ignored him. She just kept on walking, faster and fasted as if her life depended on it.

* * *

"Brian, I just don't know what to do." The tears streamed down Claire's face, ruining her carefully-applied make-up as she spoke; she didn't care. The only person she hoped would care was Bender, and he was probably planning a way to break up with her at that exact moment.

Brian Johnson sat beside her during free period, his eyes glowing with sympathetic warmth, his forehead creased with worry lines. "Claire, I don't see why you couldn't just tell him." His voice was soft and comforting as he spoke, making Claire feel at ease.

"Can you imagine what Sherry and her gang would have done to me if I'd have told him, and he'd have yelled his ass off at them in front of everybody? We all know that's what he'd do." Claire said, twisting her hands in her lap. Every nerve in her body was on fire - burning at the prospect of the harsh words in her ear, the dark looks they would give her.

"I guess." Brian said, digging his hands into his pocket for something. What it was, Claire did not know until he pulled out a checked square of bottle-green fabric. He reached over hesitantly, brushing the soft cloth across Claire's tear-streaked cheeks. He dabbed gently as each tear fell. But these new tears didn't fall out of terror or despair; they fell out of gratitude towards Brian.

"Thanks Brian." Claire whispered, giving him a warm smile of thanks.

Brian's hand retracted, pressing the handkerchief into Claire's palm. "You keep it. Just in case." He said gently.

Claire smiled once more, but her smile vanished as quickly as it had come when she saw the group of girls who had just entered the room. It was Sherry, followed by her loyal band of tributes. "Oh God." Claire moaned, her voice muffled as she hid her face behind the wall of fabric the handkerchief provided.

"Is that them?" Brian asked, his eyes wide. Claire nodded shakily in response.

There were only a few other people in the room: a tough-looking kid who's leather jacket covered his head as he tried to sleep and a group of nerds - probably from Brian's physics club - huddled up in the corner pouring over a book labelled 'The Wonders of Science'. Brian couldn't bear to see Claire (a friend he truly cared for) so distraught. He rose from his seat, making his way over to Sherry and her gang. He heard Claire's hiss of protest but ignored it. He crossed the room in a flash, walking until he was face-to-face with Sherry. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of him, her eyes travelling across his beige pants and thick green jumper. Her eyes were filled with a mocking expression that made Brian's hands curl into fists in his pockets.

"Yes, Peewee?" Sherry snarled, her friends breaking into a chorus of hateful laughter. "Can I help you in some way?"

Brian built up the courage inside him, clenching his fists so hard that his nails dug into the flesh of his palms. "Yeah, actually," He began, his voice brimming with confidence despite the nerves tracing his spine. "I would like it if you would leave my friend Claire alone."

Sherry raised a golden eyebrow. "Claire's your friend?" She snickered. "Wow, I guess she really had to scrape the bottom of the barrel this time, huh?" The group of girls behind tossed their hair over their shoulders, giggling appreciatively.

"Actually, Claire was simply sick of hanging round with a bunch of stuck-up brats like you," Sherry opened her mouth to protest at Brian's words, but Brian cut her off. "You see, she likes Bender. She actually _likes _him. She doesn't have to date him just because it's something you would approve of. She doesn't have to go along with anything you say now just because you're popular." He scalded, pleased to see the shocked expressions on their pretty faces. "We like her because she's a nice person, not because of the amount of money she has. Yeah, Bender may be reckless, he may not play to the rules and he may not have anywhere near the amount of money you have, but he loves Claire and she loves him, so why don't you back off and leave her to live her life the way she wants to live it?"

Sherry was taken aback. Her eyes shifted uneasily to where Claire was sitting, her mouth gaping open in surprise, then back to Brian. "Fine," She muttered eventually. "Come on girls." She snapped, rushing from the classroom awkwardly, her nose in the air. Her gang ran after her, all wearing the same uneasy expression.

Brian nudged himself on the arm, proud of what he'd done. He'd finally told those girls to lay off Claire. He hoped she wouldn't have any trouble from them from now on. Before he knew it, Claire's arms had wrapped themselves around his neck, squeezing him tightly.

"Thank you so much." She whispered, her eyes sparkling with tears.

He shrugged modestly, running a hand through his golden curls. "All in a days work."

Claire collapsed into a fit of giggles, swaying on the spot with him. She looked up as a flash caught her eye.

It was Bender, standing in the doorway, her diamond earring glinting in his ear. She slipped her arms from around Brian's neck and ran towards him, her lips crashing down upon his in an instant. His hands found her waist and her own tangled themselves in his hair. After a long moment, they broke apart.

"What was that for?" He asked, a smile in his voice.

She smirked that smirk she always wore around Bender. "Tell you at the movies."


	2. Torn

_**Hey guys!**_

_**So originally, this story was going to be just a short one-shot, but I've decided to extend it. This chapters only a short-follow on (with more to come, I promise!) for now, but I hope you like it, nevertheless. **_

_**As always, I do not own any of the characters in 'The Breakfast Club'. They belong to John Hughes. The only character I own is Sherry Dolenz. **_

_**I hope you enjoy reading, and please read and review if you get the chance! I love hearing what you think about my work.**_

_**Love,**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_

* * *

"I can't believe it! Two months! Wow…you and Bender have really hit it off, haven't you?"

Allison Reynolds was sat on the rug of Claire Standish's pink and cream satin bedroom, her heavily-pencilled eyes wandering dreamily past her best friend to the enormous silk banner above her head that declared the words 'Standish for Prom Queen'. Claire was opposite her, shifting through the glossy magazines piled messily upon the rug in front of them. Claire's room was positively massive, this having been the first time the Basket Case had been formally invited to the Princess's household, she was feeling pretty overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all.

Claire giggled, her cropped crimson locks quivering slightly in perfect unison with her quaking shoulders. "I know! I never imagined it would turn out like this…me and him…" She flicked through the magazine pages, admiring the perfect figures of the women (flaunting various fashion ensembles) that she already possessed, although she was oblivious to it.

Allison smiled beneath her dark, unkempt bangs, incredibly happy for her best friend. She was sorting through a pile of vinyl records instead of magazines, most of them bearing the intimidating kohl-rimmed eyes of rock bands Claire had never even heard of before meeting Allison. The Princess wasn't a huge fan of the Basket case's heavy-metal taste but she played along, simply proud to have a friend as sweet, kind and considerate as Allison to share her time with. There was a pause before Claire threw the magazines aside, leaning forward, her full-lips bearing a smug smile.

"And what about you and the one and only Mr. Andrew Clark?" She asked, her smile spreading into a helpless grin. She knew the effect this would have on her best friend.

Just as Claire predicted, Allison's cheek flooded with a powerful crimson hue and she retreated beneath her heavy fringe, hiding from her friend's unmoving gaze. "…What about us?" She murmured, wrapping her arms around herself and struggling to suppress a grin.

"Well, you two are head-over-heels and you've been together just as long as John and I." Claire pointed out casually, smirking.

Allison pretended to busy herself with the sorting of her records, trying to move the topic of discussion onwards from her boyfriend. She let out a small sigh of content, before her face split into an unstoppable grin. "He's amazing…I mean, I love him so much. I never thought I would end up being with him. I'd had a crush on him for so long…" She admitted finally.

Claire's face had softened and was now wreathed in a smile of affection. "Really? That's adorable." She chuckled, her eyes drifting to the photo of the two of them pinned up in the centre of her cork-board labelled '_Memories_'. Allison followed her line of vision and smiled, before dropping her gaze to her records once more.

Claire remembered how that board used to be filled with shiny photographs of herself on the arms of various sporto ex-boyfriends (none of whom she had ever liked enough to lose her virginity with) and surrounded by her old friends - the infamous Bitch Queens of Shermer High School. They had more money than sense and possessed impeccable appearances that made almost every boy on school campus drool with desire. As soon as they had discovered of her mingling with people such as Allison, Brian and Bender, they had promptly disowned her as a friend.

Not a single image of Claire accompanied by her old friends was visible upon the board now. Only photographs of herself, her boyfriend Andrew, her best friends (Andy, Brian and Allison) could be seen, as well as a beautiful sepia sketch of Claire that Allison had drawn for her birthday. Claire liked it much better this way.

* * *

Allison and Claire walked to their class, departing from each other with a small wave when they turned the adjacent corridor. Allison had a free period, and so strode towards the library, where she sat upon one of the chairs at the back of the almost-deserted (apart from the rather morbid school librarian chewing on gum behind the desk and a few bookworms hunched over in the corner, discussing the plots of various novels in hushed whispers) and pulled a very battered copy of 'The Hobbit' out of her bag. She began reading immediately and became lost in the enchanting fictional world of Middle Earth.

* * *

Claire ran a hand through her tousled scarlet bob and took her seat at the lunch table, still recovering from the awfully taxing Calculus lesson, her brain still throbbing from the effort of breaking down various equations and trying to solve them. Thankfully, it was over. She was one of the first to enter the canteen, having rushed from the classroom quicker than a bolt of lightening, desperate to get out of there. She took a seat at one of the numerous unoccupied tables, waiting patiently for Allison, John, Brian and Andy to appear in the clouds of students already beginning to appear through the doors.

Suddenly, she was aware that someone had taken the seat beside her. She looked up, opening her mouth to protest. Her jaw dropped when her eyes fell upon the impeccable, pristine features of her ex-best friend: Sherry Dolenz.

_What on earth was she doing here? _

Claire remembered how Brian had come face to face with Sherry, barely a week ago, telling her to leave Claire alone due to the poor way she had been treating her ever since she had formed a relationship with Bender. Claire frowned at her, her eyes narrowing into feline slits. But Sherry simply smiled; a sickly-sweet smile that made Claire's toes curl.

"Hey Claire-Bear." She said, her voice positively angelic with innocence. Claire's frown deepened at the mention of her old nickname.

"What do you want?" Claire replied sharply, refusing to show any affection towards the girl who had made her life a living hell for the past few months.

Sherry seemed oblivious to the cold tone in Claire's voice. "Well, me and the girls were just feeling awful about the way we'd been treating you recently, so we wanted to ask you if you'd like to go shopping with us on Saturday?"

"And why on earth would you want to go with me? I hang out with freaks, weirdos…remember?" She snapped, her brown eyes sparkling with anger.

"Oh Claire, we're over that now! We really miss you and want to be friends again. Can't you forgive us? At least consider coming on Saturday."

Claire paused for a moment, then exhaled deeply, turning to her bag and pulling out her lunch. "I'll think about it." She replied, her voice emotionless.

Sherry gave her one last dazzling smile before running off to join her friends. Claire didn't bother to unpack the contents of her lunch, the feeling of hunger having left her during her brief conversation with Sherry, which had left her wondering what she was playing at.

Allison joined her, weaving clumsily in and out of students who were gathered together in large clumps, barring her path to the lunch table which Claire had reserved. "Hey, Claire!" She exclaimed, barging past a few giggling sophomores, clutching her copy of 'The Hobbit' against her chest.

Claire smiled, patting the seat beside her for Allison to take. "Hey, Ally." She said, forcing the most convincing smile she could muster. Thankfully, it worked.

"Hey." Allison replied, cheerily, dumping her book upon the table with a loud 'thump!'.

There was a long pause and Allison's bright smile slowly morphed into a frown as she looked at her best friend more closely. "Are you okay?"

"Fine! Hey, have you seen John?" She asked quickly, eager to move the topic of conversation onwards,

"Um…no, he's probably with Andy somewhere. He'll be here soon."

"Oh. Okay." Claire said, trying her best to ignore the ongoing battle raging within her mind. Would she agree to go with her friends on Saturday, even when they had treated her so badly? Or would she blow them off to be with her true friends, ones that really cared for her? A part of her wanted to go with Sherry and her minions, purely to indulge herself in their affluent company one last time, but the other part of her felt physically sick at the very idea of spending any time with them.

She thought of how the others would act if they found out she went with Sherry and her gang, watching Allison flip through the pages of her book until she found her marker, resumed reading and became engrossed in the fairytale once more. The thought made her stomach churn sickeningly. Then her mind turned to John.

_John._

_If he ever knew. _She suppressed a shiver at the very thought. He would be sure to break up with her; and Claire simply couldn't handle that. Memories of their most recent date at the cinema flooded Claire's contorted mind. She remembered his burly arm wrapped around her shoulder protectively; as if he feared that someone would come out of the darkness and snatch her from him. She couldn't afford to lose him. She simply could not risk it.

But still, she felt torn.

_What would she do?_

* * *

**_That's it for now, Breakfast Clubbers! I hope you enjoyed reading. There will be more coming soon.  
_**

_**RavenclawCookie**  
_


	3. Weakness

**_Hey guys!_**

**_I'm so sorry for the wait, but other things have kept me busy and distracted from my writing lately. But, as requested, here is the long-awaited (I think not!) 3rd chapter of 'Resistance'. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing these things and please leave a review if you can! I love hearing what you guys think of my work and I really enjoy reading your comments. _**

**_As always, I do not own '_The Breakfast Club_' or any of it's characters except my own (Sherry Dolenz, Marcia, Tilly and Donna). _**

**_Enjoy, and Don't You Forget About Me!_**

**_Love,_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**

* * *

Claire Standish was nervous. Extremely nervous. She couldn't _believe _she was doing this; but here she was, stood on the cobbled street opposite the huge ivory mansion that belonged to her former-friend Sherry. She swallowed anxiously every couple of minutes, the saliva seeming to stick in her throat. What if Bender (perhaps out for a stroll with his rock 'n' roll buddies ) would spot her - and then what? Her mind plunged into the pitiful descent of self-loathing at that thought. Her blood ran cold and her eyes watered, knowing she would most likely lose Bender for good.

She had told him of the cruel way in which they spoke of him when they discovered she was dating the criminal - as if acid was burning their flesh when his name tumbled off their tongues. He asked her not to speak to them and she willingly agreed, wanting nothing more to do with them. They were history…

Or so she thought.

They had unexpectedly invited her for an outing, accompanying them to go shopping. Surprised and bemused by their invitation, Claire accepted and said nothing to Bender, for she knew what the outcome would be.

She didn't want to think about that, as she stood beside the tall row of neatly-trimmed hedges lining the street. Sherry's house was even larger than Claire's - and that was saying something - and her wealth was of an unbelievable standard. Claire couldn't resist the thought of being amongst the popular people again, even though, deep down, she swore to herself from the very bottom of her heart that she would never even dare to utter one word to the Richies she used to call 'friends'. To be perfectly honest, Claire knew their had never truly been a bond between them. Their relationship was built upon empty promises, their family status and the cruelty of their actions to inferior students at Shermer High School. There was no connection, no affection between true friends.

_Nothing._

So why was she here? To that question, Claire could respond with no answer. Her mind was in uproar, battling against itself in a civil war of conflict and she could do nothing to rid herself of the torment. She was simply doing what she always used to do when she had doubts: she went along with everything her friends said.

"Claire!" An ecstatic shriek of false delight reached the Princess in her silent daydream and she snapped back to her senses, suddenly face-to-face with Sherry Dolenz. "Hey Claire-Bear! It's so good to see you!" She enveloped Claire in a sickly-sweet fragranced embrace before pulling away, almost eagerly.

"Hey Sherry." Claire said, forcing a smile as authentically as she could.

"We all ready for our little outing?" Sherry giggled. Her ash-blonde hair was back-combed and rolled into huge messy waves. Her emerald eyes were framed by a thick rim of electric-blue and her skinny frame was draped in the latest designer jumper and pretty much nothing else.

Claire, however, kept her look simple. Her crimson hair was in its usual wavy bob and make-up (apart from a smear of cherry gloss on her full lips) was absent. She was dressed in a pale pink blazer, ivory shirt and frilled skirt, finished magnificently by a pair of shiny black ankle-boots.

"Hey," Sherry began, her crimson lips puckered in an apologetic pout, "I just want to say how sorry I am for all that nasty business with you and your little geeky friend. I guess I just miss having my Claire-Bear around, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess I missed you too." Claire lied, her voice dull. Sherry, thankfully, did not seem to notice her lack of enthusiasm and trapped Claire in another bone-crushing hug.

"Come on, the girls are waiting!" Sherry squealed, before grabbing Claire's hand and yanking her onto the sidewalk.

* * *

They met at the Mall, the fountain gushing turquoise liquid onto the tiled well (littered by countless pennies bearing each individual's wish) behind them. They were all giggling madly; all except Claire, who was solemn.

"Claire-Bear," That name was beginning to really grate on Claire's nerves. How had she coped before? "Are you okay?" Sherry asked, pretending to look concerned and resuming her original heartfelt pout.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Claire said, shooting Sherry weak smile. It was all she could muster at a time like this. She was regretting the whole thing.

Sherry paused for a moment, cocking her brilliantly-blonde head to one side before saying. "Miss your boyfriend?"

Claire looked up from the ground she'd been studying for the past half-hour with sudden surprise. "Y-yeah, I guess I am." She replied listlessly.

"Don't. He's not worth it." Sherry sniggered, before striding off to join a nearby gaggle of girls.

Fury mounted in Claire's veins like the sharp, sweet poison of a viper's sting at Sherry's words and marched over, about to confront the oblivious bitch when they suddenly trooped off to a nearby restaurant, almost trampling Claire along the way.

* * *

The richies (their cute little gang finally whole once more with the long-awaited reunion of their beloved Claire-Bear) sat down, ate heartily and giggled even more. Claire barely touched her food, even though Sherry practically forced it into her mouth.

"Anyway!" Sherry announced grandly, spooning up another scoop of her triple-sundae, "What do you guys think of that Allison girl in our year? Can you _believe _Andy's still dating her?! I mean, what is that guy thinking?!"

The girls snickered viciously; discussing other people in a negative way was one of their favourite pastimes.

"Is he blind?!" One girl -Marcia, her name was- chipped in.

"She's _so_ weird!" Tilly heckled, grinning maliciously.

"She's obviously into some weird satanic ritual crap because of all that dark make-up she wears!" Donna snorted, crossing her arms indignantly.

"What do you think of her, Claire?" Sherry smirked, turning to look at Claire, who was red-faced and shaking with anger. Dolenz's emerald eyes glimmered wickedly, knowing this topic had hit Claire hard, just the way she had intended. "You hang round with her don't you?"

"Oooh, what's she like?" Tilly piped up once more.

"Is she really freaky?!" Added Marcia.

"Don't tell me you actually _like_ her, Claire-Bear!" Shot Donna.

Claire was red-faced and burning with anger, but as she looked upon the faces of her peers, she was overcome with emptiness that made the fire in her heart (the fire that Bender had once said her loved so much about her) fade like a wilted flower, for she knew the answer she must give. She couldn't stop herself. It was as though she was possessed, and someone else was forcing the words from her lips…

"Allison? Yeah, she's so weird. I don't even know why I hang round with her. She tags onto Andy like a little puppy. What a freak!"

Her heart shattered in two and she mentally kicked herself, imploring Allison's forgiveness.

The girls roared with appreciative laughter and Sherry smiled a satisfactory smile. They left the restaurant after paying (with a large flamboyant tip from Sherry) and were about to head home when Claire heard her name from between the crowds.

"Claire?" It was soft, but not so that she could not hear. It drifted to her through she sea of shopper's and Claire's heart faltered at it's sound. She turned and there stood Allison, Andy's hand gripped in her own. The jock stood beside her, the ice cream he was holding melting down his midnight-blue jumper, his face contorted with a mixture of anger and confusion at she sight of Claire with her friends. They had just come out of the old-fashioned record store '_TRAX_'. Allison thought she would have had to drag Andy in there to allow her a moment's dive into the world of music, but he accepted happily without protest and even bought her a new 'The Smith's' record. The vinyl was tucked under her arm as she stood, facing Claire like an old western shoot-out movie.

"Claire?" Allison whispered, her pale face drained of the only colour that remained.

"I'm sorry." Claire shrugged, her stomach aching with guilt before she turned her back on the pair and ran off to join her friends. Her knees felt weak, her eyes were beginning to blur with tears but she kept on walking, even though her legs threatened to buckle in their little black boots. She wiped the tears away with a manicured hand and inhaled a deep breath, still able to feel Allison and Andy's eyes upon her as she walked shamefully away from her true friends, the only people she'd been able to connect with. The only people that she had been able to talk to without spinning up a lie. The only people who she felt she could trust, who trusted her. The only people who understood her and Bender's relationship and did not criticize it. The only people who wouldn't tell him about this, any of it, if she had simply ran over to them and forgotten all about Sherry. But no, she had taken a left turn and landed herself in the deepest trouble imaginable.

They were going to tell Bender, and it would be the end of their relationship.

* * *

**_Well guys, that's it for now! I will try my very best to update and post chapter 4 as soon as I can!_**

**_Please remember to leave a review!_**

**_Love,_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**


	4. Broken

**_Hey guys!_**

**_So, finally, here is part 4 of 'Resistance'. I'm really sorry to have kept you waiting but I've been preoccupied with other stuff! Anyway, I really hope you enjoy chapter four and please leave a review; I love seeing what you think of my work._**

**_As always, I do not own ANY of the characters in _**The Breakfast Club**_ or _**The Breakfast Club**_ itself! The only character I own is Sherry Dolenz, who is my own._**

**_Please enjoy and leave a review if you can._**

**_RavenclawCookie_**

* * *

"Claire, I don't want to hear it." John Bender snapped, his back to the immaculate-looking scarlet-haired rich girl bobbing at his side, eager to appeal for his forgiveness.

"Please, John!" She grappled clumsily at his sleeve but he tugged it from her grasp. "PLEASE! If I could take it back, I would, but..."

"But what, Claire?!" Bender boomed furiously, whipping round and stopping Claire in her tracks. The students of Shermer High were gawping at them curiously, their mouths wide open in disbelief; they had an audience and they were bating for blood and was stunned; tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked into his hard, blazing face.

"I'm sorry. So sorry, John."

"You know what? Allison and Andy would never lie to me," He susurrated, repressed rage apparent in his whispered tones. "Unlike you. You told me you'd never speak to them ever again. But no, you've always got to be the fucking popular one. You couldn't just stand on the outskirts and let other people take the limelight. You were never happy with us, were you Queenie? You were never happy with me..."

"But, I just-" Claire protested, but John's harsh voice cut across her once more like the sharpest blade;

"No, Claire. No 'but's. It's over. We're fucking done." He turned on his heel and walked away without so much as another glance at Claire Standish. Claire felt weak, her knees threatened to buckle but the wide-eyed whispers of her fellow students kept her standing.

"What?!" She snarled at them, casting them stares of pure hatred before turning and striding off in the opposite direction, her heart shattering into a million fragments and the tears flooding down her crimson cheeks.

She remembered when she returned from the shopping trip, how she had burst into tears the second she entered her bedroom. She remembered the endless phone calls and her stubborn refusal to pick them up. She remembered when she passed solemnly through the double-doors of the school on that ominous Monday morning. She remembered the blank expression on Bender's face as he passed by, without so much of a glance in her direction. She felt invisible. She ran after him, but he would not let up, despite her constant cries of anguish. Students nearby smirked, sniggered and cackled cruelly at the poor little rich girl who'd just lost the only boy she had ever truly cared about.

* * *

Andrew Clark had gym class. He had just bid a sweet farewell to Allison before striding into the changing rooms, his bag of miscellaneous sports junk slung over his broad shoulder. The room was almost entirely empty except for a few weedy kids huddled in the corner beside the lockers and a tall, shady looking kid (his face hidden by a pair of large sunglasses) huddled in between two sets of lockers.

Andrew dumped his bag on the middle bench and began to wrap up his knee, dragging back his jeans to reveal the area of vulnerability. With the utmost care, he began winding the bandage roll from his bag around his leg, before securing the tie delicately in the crook of his knee.

Just then, a familiar pungent smell filled his nostrils, wafting over to him from the opposite side of the room. The stench was overpowering, but it was not particularly unpleasant; it was almost relaxing. With every sniff he seemed to become more and more laid back, his stature loosened and his eyelids drooped. Then, his brain seemed to kick into gear and his eyes snapped open at the sudden recognition of the vivid aroma.

Weed in the locker rooms?!

_Seriously? _Andy thought_. _He whirled round, his ivory trainers squeaking noisily upon the polished floor, a stern expression on his boyish face. "What the hell?!" He exclaimed, his eyes falling upon the kid blazing up in the corner, the flame of his lighter flickering like a newly-ignited ember reflected in his sunglasses. Andy marched over to the kid, his brow furrowed in serious disapproval. Then, as he came closer, Andy realised it was no ordinary High School layabout. It was...

"Bender?" Andy murmured, his nose wrinkling in a perplexed expression. "You don't have gym class this period, more to the point, why the hell are you blazing up in the middle of the locker room?"

Bender raised his head in acknowledgement of the jock, his eyes still concealed by those thick sunglasses. "Good to see you too, Andrew." He muttered dully, a distinct hint of sarcasm in his dulcet tones. Andy could see had not shaved in several days so that a thin sheen of stubble had appeared on his strong jaw. His hair was tousled, disheveled and glossy with a viscous layer of grease. Andy's brow creased once more.

"Fancy a drag?" Bender raised the roll-up to Andy, his voice slow and distant in the haze of smoke surrounding him.

Andy hesitated for a moment, considering the possibility of being found half-baked in the locker-rooms, rolling round on the floor like a troubled sloth. It wasn't exactly inviting. But then again, he pondered, you only live once.

He took the thin White strip protruding from between Bender's grimy fingernails and pressed the hand-made filter between his plush pink lips. Inhaling deeply, he resisted the strong urge to cough violently as the thick smoke billowed down his throat and directly into his lungs. After several chest convulsions (he hoped Bender would not notice) his mind cleared, his chest relaxed and his eyes drooped. He dropped into a seat beside Bender, a tranquil smile spreading across his face.

"Bender?" Andy piped up after several long minutes (and several long drags), passing the roll-up back to Bender and pressing it between the criminal's splayed fingers.

"Mmm?"

"Is this all about Claire?" Andy intoned, his voice soft. His expression was drowsy, but mixed with a great amount of consideration for his best friend.

Bender did not look at Andy, but his voice was no longer dull and listless. He sounded _hurt_. Smoke plumed from his calloused fingers as, igniting against the oxygen in the atmosphere as John raised his hand to his glasses and pulled them off limply.

"What do you think?" Bender said, his voice deep and husky from the thick smoke swirling in his lungs.

"Look, Bender," Andy leant forward intently, pink circles beginning to run rings round his ice-blue eyes. "Claire loves you. She's been friends with those," He paused, trying to formulate a word that wasn't offensive in any way. "-girls," He finally decided, "all her life. It's hard for her to let go of the past completely."

"You did it with your friends," Bender slurred, a dazed expression washing over his face. "I mean, you just cut them out of your lives."

"Yeah," Andy retaliated, a docile smile warming his weary features. "That's because I realised who they were and the way they treated Allison wasn't worth it. She was more important to me than their friendship." He fell back against the bench, his shoulder blades thudding painfully against the glossy wood, but he simply emitted a low giggle.

Bender's faced creased and he scrunched up his nose in distaste. "Then why doesn't Claire feel that way about me?" He whined, lifting the roll-up to his lips for a final drag before the embers fizzling at the end of the narrow cylinder flickered and died.

The laughter on Andy's faced faded as quickly as it had been ignited as Bender's words. "I don't know, man. Just talk to her, okay?" He said, gathering all his internal strength in order to rise to his feet; he could have lounged on the bench all day. He slouched over to the lockers and grabbed his jacket, slipping it over his broad shoulders. He ran his hands through his hair, attempting to brush it back into shape. The bell sounded for lunch, shocking them both and causing Bender to toss the used roll-up into the corner unexpectedly. Andy smirked and dumped his back into the locker before striding back over to Bender. "Care to join us for lunch?"

"Is that even a question worthy of an answer?" Bender retorted with a grin.

"I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't." Andy chuckled, grasping Bender's palm in his own and dragging his friend to his feet.

"Hey, we should make this a regular thing." Bender guffawed as they strode through the locker room doors and out onto the corridor already teaming with frantic students charging into the canteen for lunch.

"Sounds good to me," Andy mused, rushing forth and barging past a few juniors who refused to part from each other to make a path for them. When the cloud of protesting juniors cleared, a sickly sight met their eyes:

Claire was stood beside the row of lockers, laughing animatedly with her rich friends, all of whom were hanging upon her every word. Sherry's elbow was hanging limply from her shoulder and Claire's mouth was spread wide in a grin revealing her perfect teeth. Bender swallowed anxiously, his heart plummeting as if he'd suffered a fatal blow to the stomach. Andy patted him on the shoulder sadly and yanked him past, saving Bender the pain of looking upon Claire's beautiful features for too long. "Come on." He muttered softly. "You'll have your chance to talk to her soon enough."

Bender wondered, as he passed through the crowds, how that was possible when Claire was constantly surrounded by a wall of girls who would judge him as soon as he was within an inch of their presence. They were like a gang of warriors guarding their queen in battle; they would not relinquish their stance. They were relentless; a force that could not be broken.

But in that moment, Bender realised - with a fleeting glance over his shoulder - that he would do anything for Claire, _anything_. She was the first girl he had ever truly loved and if he had to get her back, he would do whatever it took to ensure that she belonged to him and nobody else. It may have been her decision to return to her friends, but despite that, Bender knew he couldn't just let her go.

_He loved her. _

* * *

**_So that was chapter four! Chapter five will hopefully be on its way very soon.  
_**

**_Please remember to leave a review if you can!_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**


	5. Proposal

**_Hey guys!_**

**_So here, by popular demand, is chapter five of 'Resistance'! I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for your amazing feedback on this story! I never expected you guys to take to it so much. It's great to see how eager you all are for the next installment; it's made me really happy. _**

**_This one's a bit of a cliffhanger and a set-up for the next and much more eventful chapter (don't worry, I've got everything planned and it should be coming your way pretty soon, as I've got a very promising window in my schedule) so try to be patient, as I'm also in the middle of writing another story! I blame myself for being so busy. _**

**_Anyway, as always I do not own any of the characters in '_**The Breakfast Club**_', nor do I own '_**The Breakfast Club**_' itself. All I own in this story are the plot and my own characters: Sherry Dolenz, Tilly and Marcia._ **

**So, without further a do, here is chapter five! Hope you enjoy and please remember to leave reviews; I love hearing what you think of my work.**

**RavenclawCookie**

* * *

Allison and Andy sat together at lunch, the buzzing hum of the fragmented crowds passing them as they talked endlessly, staring into each others eyes with such intensity that when Brian made an unexpected arrival, Allison had to almost tear her gaze from Andy's in order to greet him.

"Hey guys," Brian huffed, blatantly vexed by something unknown to the two lovebirds sitting at the table. He dropped into a seat beside Allison, unloading a rather large stack of Physics books onto the table.

"What's up?" Allison and Andrew asked simultaneously, casting sweet smiles in each others direction upon speaking at the same time.

"This stupid Bender and Claire business," Brian growled under his breath, his brow creased in a frown of fury.

"Yeah, we know how you feel." Andy rolled his eyes in exasperation at the situation, his ice-blue eyes darting to Allison, who confirmed her agreement with a small, solemn nod.

"I mean, Claire was so afraid of Sherry before and now she's, like, her best friend or something!" Brian spluttered, resting his chin moodily on his curled fist. His knuckles were white with anger; he just wanted them all to be friends. Was that so impossible?

"Look, man, we all feel like this," Andy began, placing a sympathetic hand of comfort upon Brian's hunched shoulder. "But we've got to let them sort this out _by themselves_. If we interfere, it'll only end up in tears."

"Looks like it already has." Allison muttered softly, munching on her second sandwich. A satisfying crunch sounded from her lips as her neat little teeth tore through the fine layer of bread and hit the large mound of breakfast cereal beneath. Andy smiled and wound his arm around her waste, watching her.

"I know, but what can we do?" Andy sighed, taking a swig from his can of soda.

"Guys, seriously, we can't just sit here and do nothing!" Brian exploded after a moment's silence, his voice breaking the quiet, tranquil atmosphere like the sharpest of blades.

"There's nothing we can do, Brian!" Allison looked at him sternly from beneath her heavily-pencilled eyelids. Her dark eyes seemed to bore into his very soul, imploring him to see reason and calming his raging mind. He relaxed, settling back in his seat and emitting a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Fine," Brian murmured, "I just don't want us to lose what we have."

* * *

Claire sat, surrounded by her protective wall of snooty friends, her eyes darting occasionally to Allison, Andy and Brian who were sitting merely a few tables away. Their eyes did not meet hers; they didn't even bother to cast a glance in her direction. Her hopes fell and her heart plummeted into the dark abyss of her chest; she'd really fucked things up this time.

"So, there's a homecoming dance on Friday, you girls planning on coming?" Sherry announced to her minions; they were like a bating crowd of spectators hanging on her every word. She flipped a curtain of golden hair over her shoulder, her emerald eyes casting a sultry glow over her flawless features.

"Oh, of course! I just…haven't got a date." Tilly giggled, gnawing anxiously on her pastel-pink bottom lip.

"So? Neither has Claire-Bear!" Sherry smirked, throwing an arm around Claire's shoulders. Claire tensed, itching to get away from Sherry's sickening floral scent; it was overpowering.

"Oh, and you have?" Claire blurted out a fake chuckle, the false smile stretching her features painfully.

"Of course! You didn't think a girl as fabulous as moi would turn up to a homecoming dance _dateless_?" She tutted, tossing her head from side to side in a shake of disapproval.

"Of course not, Shez! Marcia said, imploring for Sherry's immediate forgiveness. "We're just _so_ jealous! Who are you going with?" She queried eagerly, desperate for gossip.

"You'll see soon enough." Sherry said, giving them all a mischievous smirk. There was an explosive chorus of _"Tell us, Sherry!" "Go on, we need to know!" "Please, Shez!"_ before Sherry held up two perfectly manicured hands to silence them. Their voices died and they leaned in expectantly, their eyes gleaming as they looked upon their leader. Claire felt nauseous.

"I told you, I'm not telling you." The girls fell back in their seats, defeated. Satisfied, Sherry continued carelessly. "I think you'll all be pretty surprised."

Claire's brow furrowed but she let the curiosity that gripped her pass. Why was Sherry making such a big deal out of this? The others fell into gaggles of enthusiastic conversation, but Claire remained silent, pushing her tray of sushi aside. She no longer felt hungry.

* * *

Bender and Andrew emerged from the locker room in a haze of dispersing smoke, guffawing uncontrollably. They pushed their way through the fragmented crowds, eager to return home at the end of a long, aimless and seemingly pointless day of education. The pair broke into peals of laughter, falling about the corridor and attracting nervous glances from a group of bespectacled sophomore students.

"You wear tights when you wrestle." Bender sniggered, the last remnants of the roll-up hanging from between his fingers.

"Do not!" Andy protested feebly, the drooping of his eyes beginning to reduce as fresh air filled his lungs. They left the atomic mushroom cloud of smoke behind them, the herbal smell trailing in their wake. Luckily, the number students filing through the front doors lessened and the corridors emptied themselves.

"Keep telling yourself that, dude." Bender tossed the roll-up into the garbage, rubbing his eyes with his now unoccupied fingers. He slipped a hand into his pocket and brought out his trademark sunglasses, placing them carefully over his eyes that were significantly bloodshot.

"Will do," Andy chuckled, shifting the precarious strap of his gym bag more securely on his brawny shoulder. He ran a hand through his tousled golden locks and pressed his palm over his weary eyes.

"Seriously, this is really fun." Bender admitted, his mood on the downturn of a crescendo, the high slowly descending into a more controllable low.

Andy smirked, "Yeah, it really is. But I don't think it can happen all the time, man. I've got a scholarship to think of." He said sadly.

"Killjoy." Bender shot jokingly.

Andy grinned. "I'll see you 'round, ok?" He said, heading in the direction the lockers.

"See you, man." Bender called over his shoulder, heading in the opposite direction. He strolled down the now deserted (apart from a few scrawny kids huddled round the door labelled 'Physics Club' - Bender was surprised to see Brian wasn't able to attend) corridor. His shoes squeaked on the polished floor and his elevated hand traced the doors of the nearby lockers, causing a metallic rhythm to echo through the hall.

As he turned onto the adjacent corridor, he almost ran into someone. He stumbled and skidded to a halt at the final second. He pursed his lips in anger when he saw who had barred his path.

It was Sherry.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He snarled, the blood in his veins boiling viciously at the mere sight of her: the girl who had driven Claire away from him.

Sherry tossed the thick sheen of ash-blonde locks over her shoulder so that they cascaded down her back like a waterfall of molten gold. Her vivid lipstick was pursed in a poison pout and her peridot eyes gleamed with an eerie essence of malevolence. Why was she here? Was she attempting to tear Bender and Claire even further from each other? She had succeeded once, who was to say she wouldn't do it again?

Bender's expression hardened, whatever vile plans were formulating in her mind, he was sure to foil them; he wouldn't fall for any of Sherry's wildly fabricated stories.

"I've got a proposition for you, Bender." She spoke his name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Oh yeah? Well I'm not interested." Bender started to barge past her but the sudden feel of her long nails digging deep into the skin of his wrist stopped him. She reeled him backwards, her emerald eyes meeting his chocolate brown.

"Oh, I think you will be. _Just hear me out._"

* * *

_**I know it was a short one - sorry guys! **_

_**Chapter 6 is on its way! I hope you enjoyed reading and please leave a review if you can.**_

_**RavenclawCookie**_


	6. Betrayal

**Hey guys!**

**Phew! Your requests for another chapter has kept me increasingly busy and so I wanted to keep you pleased by writing this one as quickly as possible. I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer!**

**So, this one was quite exciting to write and I hope you guys find it just exciting to read! **

**_Anyway, as always I do not own any of the characters in '_**The Breakfast Club**_', nor do I own '_**The Breakfast Club**_' itself. All I own in this story are the plot and my own characters: Sherry Dolenz, Rik, Tilly and Marcia._ **

**_Also, I do not own any of the songs I have used in this fanfic story. _**

**_Please remember to leave a review if you can, I love hearing what you think of my work._**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_RavenclawCookie_**

* * *

Claire Standish blundered madly from the hall, the blaring luminous lights of the disco beating down upon her, making her vision sway dangerously close to the brink of unconsciousness. Tears blurred her sight as she barged past numerous dancing couples, clawing desperately for the exit. She couldn't spend another moment in that room. It was tainted, poisoned by what she had just witnessed. She could hear the desperate cries of Allison and Andy following in her wake, but she ignored them. She craved loneliness; she ached to be detached from the world. Nothing appeared real; she felt as if she was tearing apart at the seams.

She emerged from the sickening darkness of the disco, her stomach churning from the mere minimal alcohol she had consumed. Her head spun, but it was not from the drink, it was from the events of the night that seamed to pass through her mind in a blur. She crouched down, perching herself on the cold pavement. The icy wind whipped at her exposed flesh but she did not care. Fresh tears formed in her eyes, her crimson hair kissing the nape of her neck with gentle grace, uplifted by the dying wind. Her tear tracks dried until they were once again glazed over by pristine drops falling from her lids.

How did it come to this?

* * *

"Come _on_, Claire." Marcia whined, as Claire carefully applied her onyx eyeliner in the dressing table mirror.

Claire admired her stunning reflection, applying the final touches to her already flawless appearance. "I don't even want to got to this stupid dance." Claire sighed, spinning the lid securely upon the eyeliner tube.

"Sure you do, Claire-Bear," Marcia trilled, materializing in the mirror behind Claire.

"I've got no one to go with. It seems pretty pointless if I'm being honest."

'Oh, don't be such a _bore_, Claire!" Marcia giggled, linking her arm of the most beautiful caramel shade around Claire's and dragging her reluctant friend to her feet.

Claire was dressed in a pale-pink dress that ended just below her knees. It was simple, but that was just the way Claire liked it. She despised frills and the plain dress was completely shot of them. A blazer of the same colour draped her shoulders and gave the entire ensemble a sophisticated edge. Once satisfied, Claire and Marcia trooped through the grand front door of her house, waving fond farewells to her father as they went.

Sure enough, Tilly and her father (who would be their chauffeur for the evening) were waiting patiently in their car, the silver sheen of the BMW glowing luminously in the night, the ribbon of moonlight streaking across the spotless bonnet. She waved enthusiastically at them from the window and ushered them forth with a crimson-nailed hand. They hopped eagerly (Marcia perhaps showing a more significant amount of enthusiasm than Claire, whose fixed smile was weary and tired-looking) and before they knew it, they were speeding towards the school at a racing pace.

* * *

The so-called 'Richies' (known infamously by this fitting pseudonym by the majority of Shermer High) burst through the doors of the disco, trailblazing a essence of formidable confidence in their wake. They grinned at each other, brimming with euphoria; here, they were in their element.

"There's Rik!" Marcia squealed ecstatically, spotting the tall figure burdening the sharp suit snaking through the gaggles of excited students towards them. His wild oaken hair stood up at all angles as if it could not be tamed, but that just gave him a rugged look about him that caused most of the girls at Shermer High to drool uncontrollably.

"Hey girls," His deep voice infused with a distinct British twang caused Marcia to blush feverishly. She smoothed down her cropped mousy locks and tossed a happy wave over her shoulder at the others before scampering over to the dance floor, arm-in-arm with Rik.

"And then there were two." Tilly chuckled, rolling her eyes at Marcia's sickeningly sweet exit. She slipped her arm through the crook of Claire's elbow and guided her towards the buffet, diving over to the punch bowl.

"I thought Sherry was coming?" Claire pointed out, her brow furrowing into a curious frown.

Tilly's hesitated, her words seeming to catch in her throat. "Oh…yeah," Her eyes darted to various areas on the table before her, striving to avoid Claire's gaze. Tilly appeared unusually shifty to Claire; she wondered what on earth was bothering her. "She said she might be a bit late. I'm sure she'll be here soon." Relieved that Claire pressed the subject no further, Tilly poured herself a rather large helping from the punch bowl.

"Want some?" She asked Claire, who shook her head in a mixture of reply and disgust. A part of Claire was hoping to see Bender here so she could somehow confront him and resolve the issues that plagued her soul, tormenting her already troubled mind. The pain of missing him was too much.

The mood of the room suddenly lightened as the familiar tune of 'Come On Eileen' by Dexy's Midnight Runners blared from the speakers, tugging the corners of Claire's drooping lips into a helpless grin. Abruptly, the crowd of students on the dance floor parted to make way for a trio of students, their hands clasped together as they twirled wildly round the floor. They were laughing madly with one another, ignoring the curious glances they received from less enthusiastic and care-free students. Claire's smile widened when she recognised Brian's tall, lanky legs and dirty-blonde curls; Allison's messy bangs falling into her dark eyes and Andy's muscled arms pushing through his shirt jacket. They spun round in endless circles, pushing other students carelessly aside. Each face was wreathed in a grin; they looked so happy.

Claire's own smile had vanished; she wished she was part of the circle; she wished she was there, grasping Allison's hand and clinging onto Andy's wrist, falling about in a heap of laughter. But no, she had blown her chance to be with them and now, she was paying the price. Her pale brow creased in a furrowed frown of determination; she didn't know where Bender was, but she was going to find him, even if it took her until the end of the night.

Snatching the last remaining dregs of confidence and self-respect within her heart and curled her delicate hands into trembling fists so that her long nails dug into her soft skin. She focused all her energy and attention upon the painful slice of nail upon flesh; it made her feel brave, and that was what she needed.

Deserting a rather bemused Tilly, Claire pushed through the crowds of couples entangled in each other's arms. The romantic atmosphere made Claire want to vomit; she wrinkled her nose and focused solely upon her mission. Her stomach flipped over when she snuck past softly-swaying Andy and Allison, thankfully too interested in each other to notice her. The slow, soft song emanating from the speakers surrounding the ceiling above, circling her head like a flock of flightless birds, tugged at her heart strings. The beautiful words filled her auburn eyes with stinging tears, but she fought them back with a powerful swallow that hitched in the back of her throat.

_Looking from the window above_

_It's like a story of love,_

_Can you hear me?_

Claire's thoughts returned to Bender, who had occupied her mind for the majority of the week. Every day, hour, minute, second she thought of his rugged, handsome face twisted into a one-sided smile - the way he had looked at her when they were happy; before this huge mess had taken place…

_Came back only yesterday,_

_Moving farther away,_

_Want you near me…_

Claire's full bottom lip, caked in a deep shade of pink lipstick, trembled with the gargantuan effort to keep herself from bursting into peals of uncontrollable tears. She remembered the way they had bickered viciously at each other on that infamous Saturday in detention, hissing spiteful comments at one another despite their feelings. She recalled the way all of those hateful feelings had disappeared when he kissed her for the first time, and how they had laughed heartily when one of them spoke, or the warm security of his hand around hers. All of that was gone now.

Claire broke through the crowd, smashing the gaggle of love struck students like a hammer against glass.

And then suddenly, there he was: standing against the wall, his long hair flopping forward into his soulful, sultry eyes that seemed to act as a window to his heart. His suit was scruffy, but not so: his strong hands were coated in a pair of leather gloves and his bow-tied was hanging half-way down his chest. He looked…indescribable. He was perfect.

_All I needed was the love you gave,_

_All I needed for another day,_

_And all I ever knew,_

_Only You…_

Claire's dull features split into a wide grin at the sight of him; her heart swelled and it's rhythmic beat quickened to a salsa step. Blissful relief flooded her body like a plunger pushing smooth, golden liquid into her veins. She started towards him when she noticed he was deep in conversation with someone else. Claire stumbled and skidded to a halt, feeling ridiculous. She dithered aimlessly on the spot when, to her horror, Bender inclined his head towards theirs and pressed the lips Claire longed to kiss against the girl's.

Sherry's lips.

The long trail of golden hair cascaded down her back as she forced her full lips upon Bender's with ferocious retaliation, her arms wrapped around his neck like a boa constrictor. Claire's smile vanished, her eyes wide with disappointment. Sherry and Bender broke apart after a long, lingering kiss and Sherry turned to face Claire, a smug smirk of triumph twisting her haughty features so that they no-longer appeared beautiful, but now only conveyed pure evil.

Claire turned and fled, tearing through the crowds in her haste. Bender's stomach contracted with guilt and he attempted to follow Claire, but Sherry's hand snaking cruelly around his wrist held him back. Nothing could convince Claire to take him back now; he had intended to hurt her, to give her a taste of her own medicine and make her realise the mistake she had made by gallivanting off with her rich friends. But this had been one step too far. He knew that now.

It was over.


End file.
